Metal-shearing machine.



PATENTED JULY 3, 1906. H. P. RICHARDSON.

METAL SHEARING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 22, 1904.

2 SHEETS SHEET 1.

1n: NORRIS PETERS ca.. WASHINGTON o. c.

' No. 825,074. PATENTED JULY 3, 1906. H. P. RICHARDSON.

METAL SHEARING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 'AUG 22, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

M K i m L N UNITED STATES PATENT oFrIoE.

IVIETAL-SHEARING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, 1906.

Application filed August 22,1904. Serial No. 221,636.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HAMILTON P. RIOHARD- SON, residing in J anesville, in the county of Rock and State of WVisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Metal Shearing Machines, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

This invention relates to metal-shearing machines, and particularly to machines designed for shearing metal rails or beams, and has for its object to provide means for permitting a headed rail or beam being laterally inserted in and removed from the shearingjaws of the machine, and thus avoid the necessity for sliding it longitudinally in said jaws for inserting and removing it for each cut or portion of a cut.

A further object of this invention is to provide a bridge-j aw for machines of this character with a movable member, whereby sufficient space may be made between them for inserting and removing the rail or beam laterally.

A further object of this invention is to provide a shearing-machine for cutting I-beams and other flanged or headed rails to lengths by a series of successive cuts.

Another object of this invention is to provide suitable means for moving the upper tool with relation to the bridge-jaw and for moving one member of the bridge-j aw with relation to the other member thereof to afford proper space for turning the beam or rail to enable the bridgej aw to support it in place in several positions for the cutting operation.

Vith the above and other objects in view this invention consists in the shearing-machine, its parts, and combinations of parts and their equivalents, as hereinafter set forth.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference indicate the same parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the jaw portions of a shearing-machine embodying this invention, parts of the upper tool-support being sec tioned and parts being broken away for clearness of illustration. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, also having parts broken away and showing in broken lines a position to which the movable member of the bridge-j aw may be swung.

Fig. 3 is a side sectional eleva' tion on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view through the upper tool-support, taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1 and Fig. 5 is a sectional view through the movable member of the bridge-jaw on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, 10 represents the upper or movable jaw of a shearing-machine, which is also provided with a lower stationary bridgejaw 11, having pairs of die-blocks 13 secured in transverse grooves 12 of the upper ends of its two members. The die-blocks areheld in position by means of bolts 14, carried thereby and entered through upwardly-opening par-' allel slots 15 in the upper ends of the members of the bridge-jaw with their bindingnuts 16 countersunk within recesses in the side faces of said members.

The upper or movable jaw 10 of the machine carries a tool support or casing 17, in which is slidably mounted a shearing-tool 18, adapted to enter between the die-blocks 13 when the movable j aw 10 is lowered and coact with them to produce a shearing of any metal held therebetween, the lower edge of the cutting-tool 18 being preferably slightly inclined from the middle point to both ends to produce a flattened V-shaped cutting edge, as shown, and so perform the shearing action with the die-blocks 13. The shearing-tool may have any other desirable form of cutting edge without affecting its operation for the purposes of this invention.

The shearing-tool 18 is longitudinal in cross-section and slides vertically in the support or casing 17 and in its lower position it is adapted to be held rigid against yielding to the pressure of the cutting stroke by means of a ag-block 19. The gag-block 19 corresponds in cross-section with the shearing-tool and is horizontally slidable in the upper part of the tool support or casing 17, so as to be capable of a movement from a supporting shelf 20 at one side of the path of movementof the shearing-tool 18 into said path to stand directly 1n alinement with the shearing-tool with its lower end resting upon the upper end of the shearing-tool and its upper end engaging the solid upper wall of the tool support or casing 17, and thereby form a rigid backing for the shearing-tool.

The gag-block 19 is adapted to be withdrawn from its position over the shearingtool by means of a lever-handle 21, which is pivoted to a pair of projecting ears 22 on the gag-block 19 and extends out through an I by means of nut-rings 34, threaded in said opening in the tool support or casing 17 into a position where it may be easily grasped by the operator and pulled directly out, so as to slide the gag-block 19 off of the shearing-tool 18 and onto the sup orting-shelf 20.

When the gag-b ock 19 has been withdrawn from above the shearing-tool 18 in the manner above described, the ears 22 thereof extend in a position where the operating-lever 21 is capable of being swung downwardly on its pivotal connection therewith, and in so doing the shearing-tool 18 is caused to slide upwardly into the space just vacated by the gag-block 19. This is accomplished by means of a lever 23, suitably pivoted to the tool support or casing17 and having its longitudinally slotted inner end slidably connected to the shearing-tool by entering a perforation 24 thereof and surrounding with its longitudinal slot a pin 25, extending across said perforation, while its outer upwardly-bent end has a sliding connection with the operating-lever 21 by means of a looped eye 26, surrounding said lever 21, so that as the lever is swung downwardly upon its pivotal connection to the ears 22 of the gag-block 19 it swings the lever 23 to slide the shearing-tool 18 upwardly away from the die-blocks 13 for a purpose to be mentioned later.

The looped eye 26 of lever 23 stands in such a position when the shearing-tool 18 is in its normal lower position as not to interfere' with the sliding operation of the lever 21, but serves as a support to hold said lever 21 in its horizontal position until the shearing-block 18 is free to be raised by depressing the lever 21. after the gag-block 19 has been moved from its position over said shearingtool. The movements of the lever 23 are permitted by the parallel spaced walls of eX- tensions of the tool support or casing 17, to which said lever 23 is pivoted, the space between these walls communicating with the passage-way for the shearing-tool 18.

The bridge-j aw 11 of the machine has one of its members 27 rigidly mounted, while its other member 28 is pivotally and slidably mounted to swing andjslide toward or away from the rigid member 27 by means of its side lates 29, having pivotal connections upon disks 30, which are slidable horizontally up on flattened bosses 31 projecting laterally from the base portion of the bridge-j aw 11 and fitting horizontal longitudinal slots 32 in said disks 30. The disks 30 are capable of a limited horizontal sliding movement upon the bosses 31, but are not permitted to turn, though the side plates 29 of the movable member 28 are mounted to turn thereon by the pivotal connection between them, which comprises peripheral flan es 33 on the disks 30, freely set into anniilar shouldered recesses in the side plates 29 and held in place openings and loosely bearing against the disks 30 and their flanges 33.

The innermost position of the movable member 28 permitted by its pivotal and slid ing connection just described is that in which it rests tightly against the stationary member 27, and from this position its limit of sliding movement is such as to remove it from the stationary member for a distance equal to or slightly greater than the thickness of the web of the thickest web-rail for which the machine is designed, and the pivotal swing of the movable member 28 is intended to be sufficiently great to move it from the stationary member 27 and the shearing-tool 18 far enough to permit of the pass.- ing therebetween of the flanged or headed portions of the largest rail or beam for which the machine is designed.

The sliding and swinging of the movable member 28 is accomplished by suitable means, such as the following: A gag-block 35 is slidably mounted on dovetailed ways 36 on the upper surface of the base portion of the bridge-jaw member 11, so asto be slidable toward and away from the stationary member 27 and at its upper inner portion it is provided with a transverse rabbet or shouldered recess 37, forming a seat to receive the correspodingly-shaped lower portion of the solid part of movable member 28. This seat for the movable member 28 upon the gag-block 35 preferably has its sliding surfaces horizontal or parallel with the line of movement of the gag-block 35, so that there will be no difficulty in sliding the. gagblock in and out. Said seat, further, by its shouldered construction causes the gag block 35 to serve as a support for the movable member 28 against the tendency to downward and outward movements thereof, due to the pressure applied thereto during the shearing operation. The gag-block 35 has projecting pins 38 at its opposite sides, which slide in angular slots 39 in the side plates 29 of the movable member 28, the major portions of which slots are horizontal or parallel with the line of movement of the gag-block 35 and the remaining portions eX- tend at an angle thereto. When the block 35 is drawn outwardly on its ways 36, the pins 38 slide through the horizontal portions of the slots 39, producing no change of position of the movable member 28 but when the inclined portions of the slots 39 are reached the movable member 28 is slid outwardly by the engagement of the pins 38 with the in clined walls of the slots 39, the slots 32 of the disks 30 sliding upon the flattened bosses 31 to permit such action. In this position of the gag-block 35 the engaging surfaces of its seat 37 have become released from the solid portion of the movable member 28 and the further outward movement of the gag-block 35,

IIO

causing the pins 38 to ride in the inclined portions of slots 39, swings the movable mem ber 28 upon the pivotal disks 30 to the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 2 and preferably beyond this position for the purpose above mentioned. The return of the parts to their former position is accomplished by a reverse operation of all of the parts, the moving in of the gag-block 35 first swinging the movable member 28 upon the pivotal disks 30 and then sliding them upon the bosses 31 to slide the movable member toward the stationary member 27 as far as desired.

The means for sliding the gag-block 35 to accomplish the above operations may be of any approved construction, but preferably comprises a yoked lever 40, pivotally mounted in suitable recesses 41 in the sides of the gag-block 35 and having pivotally mounted across its yoked members on a cross-pin 42 a depending wedge-block 43, which is adapted to be forced by means of the lever 40 into a correspondingly-shaped cam-socket 44 in the base portion of the bridge-j aw across the guideway for the gag-block 35. Then the movable member 28 has been swung against the, web of a rail, as shown in Fig. 2, by the inward movement of the gag-block 35, produced by pushing in on the yoked lever 40, the movable member is rigidly held in this position by the gag-block 35, being firmly locked against a rearward movement by the operator swinging the forked lever 40 downwardly, so as to forcibly enter the wedgebloek 43 into the cam-socket 44. where it becomes a buffer for the gag-block 35.

From the foregoing it will be understood that in operation metal beams or rails, such as I-beams, are adapted to be cut in two by this machine by first placing the beam upon the bridge-jaw with the web of the beam resting upon the closed members 27 and 28 thereof, so that the downward movement of the movable jaw 10 of the machine causes the shearing-tool 18 to cooperate with the die-blocks 12 and cut a slot through the web of the rail from one head to the other. In placing the Ibeam in this position and in re moving it therefrom it would be found that the ordinary amount of movement allowed for the movable jaw 10 would not be sufli cient to permit of the head of the beam being passed between the shearing-tool 18 and the bridge-j aw members, so that it becomes necessary to raise the shearing-tool by some suit able meansas here shown by first drawing the gag-block 19 aside onto the shelf 20 by pulling on the handle-lever 21 and then by depressing said lever, raising the shearingtool 18 into the space formerly occupied by the gagblock 19, when ample space is provided between the shearing-tool and the members of the bridge-jaw for this purpose. It is now necessary to split the heads or flanges of the rail in alinement with the slot cut in the web thereof, and in order that this may be done the movable member 28 is swung open by drawing out the gag-block 35 by means of the yoked lever 40, which will automatically slide and swing the movable member 28 after it, as before described, so that the I-beam may be passed between the two members of the bridge-j aw. Now the movable member 28 is returned to its normal position, but cannot be moved into contact with the stationary member 27, as before, because of the web of the rail being held therebetween; but nevertheless the movable member 28 is completely seated upon the gag-block 35, as be fore, and as the gag-block is prevented from sliding by means of the wedge-block 3 therebehind a rigid support is given to the movable member 28, and another downward movement of the movable jaw 10 will cause the shearing-tool 18, which has in the meantime been restored to its cutting position by returning lever 21 to its horizontal position and sliding the gag-block 19 home by means thereof, will cut a slot in the head of the beam in alinement with the slot previously cut through the web thereof. The walls of the slot in the web form ccntinuations of the vertical surfaces of the die-blocks 13, bridging over the gap between the members of the bridgejaw, to complete the lower cutting edge and coact with the shearing-tool. The beam is now removed as it was entered and is replaced in position to cut the remaining head in a similar manner, and thus complete the operation of cutting the rail in two.

It is obvious that the means for adjusting the movable member with relation to the sta tionary member of the bridgejaw may be em-. ployed without the swinging feature thereof when it is expedient to insert and remove the rail by sliding it lengthwise between the members of the bridge-jaw. Furthermore, the particular means for withdrawing the shearing-tool and for operating the movable member of the bridge-j aw may be employed singly or in combination with other means for performing these several functions without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Though the details of construction and arrangement ofparts as here shown and described are at present preferred by me for the purpose of illustrating this invention, they are not considered as essential thereto, and modifications and variations therein may be resorted to within the scope of the in vention.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a metal-shearing machine, a casing, a shearing-tool slidable therein, a gag-block located behind the shearing-tool, a lever pivoted to the gag-block and adapted to remove said gag-block from the path of the shearingtool, and means in connection with the lever for sliding the shearing-tool when the gagblock is moved out of its path.

2. In a metal-shearing machine, a casing, a shearing-tool slidable therein, a gag-block located in the path of the shearing-tool and constituting an abutment for the shearingtool, a lever pivoted to the gag-block by which the gag-block may be moved out of the path of the shearing-tool, and a second lever pivoted to the casing and having connection with the shearing-tool and with the first-named lever whereby the shearing-tool may move into the space formerly occupied by the gag-block when the first-named lever is swung upon its pivotal connection with the gag-block. I

3. In a metal-shearing machine, a casing, a shearing-tool slidable therein, a gag-block located in the path of the shearing-tool and constituting an abutment therefor, a handlever pivoted to the gag-block by means of which the gag-block may be drawn out of the path of the shearing-tool, a shelf for supporting the gag-block when so withdrawn, a lever ivoted to the casing a pin in an opening through the shearing-tool receiving a longitudinal slot in one end of the lever, and a loop formed on the other end of the lever surrounding the hand-lever and through which the hand-lever may slide, said hand-lever be ing adapted to be swung on its pivotal connection when the gag-block rests upon the shelf and thereby swing the lever to raise the shearing-tool.

4. In a metal-working machine, a bridgejaw, and another jaw cooperating therewith, one member of the bridge-j aw having a pivotal support whereby it may be swung to permit the work being placed between the two members of the bridge-j aw.

5. In a metal-working machine, a slotted bridge-j aw, and another jaw having a single knife cooperating therewith, said bridge-j aw being at right angles to the line of movement of the other jaw, one of the members of the bridge-j aw being slidably mounted to permit of its being moved toward or away from the other member of the bridge-j aw to clamp between them the web of a flanged rail or the like.

6. In a metal-shearing machine, a bridge jaw, having slotted members, and another jaw having a shearing-tool to cooperate with the slotted members of the bridge-j aw, one of the members of the bridge-j aw being pivotally mounted to be capable of swinging toward and away from the other member thereof and permit the flange of a flanged rail to be laterally placed between and removed from the members of the bridge-j aw, said members of the bridge-jaw being adapted to engage the opposite sides of. the web of the rail while the flange thereof is being sheared by the shearing-tool.

7. In a metal-shearing machine, a bridgejaw having slotted members, and another jaw having a single-blade shearing-tool to cooperate with the slotted members of the bridge-j aw, one of the members of the bridgejaw being slidably mounted to be slidable towardor away from the other member thereof, so that a flanged rail may have its web held between them during the cutting of the flange thereof, and the two members may be brought together to form a continuous cutting edge during the cutting of the web of the rail.

8. In a metal-shearing machine, a bridgejaw having slotted members, and another jaw having a shearing-tool to cooperate with the slotted members of the bridge-j aw, one of the members of the bridge-j aw being slidably and pivotally mounted so as to be capable of a sliding and swinging movement toward and away from the other member of the bridgeaw.

9. In a metal-shearing machine, a bridge jaw, another jaw cooperating therewith, one of the members of the bridge-j aw being pivotally mounted so as to swing toward and away from the other members thereof, and means for holding the pivotally-mounted member in its operative position.

10. In a metal-shearing machine,abridgejaw, another jaw cooperating therewith, one of the members of the bridge-j aw being pivotally mounted to be capable of swinging toward and away from the other member thereof, and a gag-block slidable on the support for the pivotally-mounted member and adapted to flt against the pivotally-mounted member and hold 1t in its operative position.

1 1. In a metal-shearing machine, a bridgejaw, another jaw cooperating therewith, one of the members of the bridge-j aw being pivotally mounted on its support, and a gag-' block having a dovetailed sliding connection on the support for the pivoted member and having a shouldered seat adapted to fit against a correspondingly-shaped part of the pivoted member to constitute an abutment therefor, the said seat adapted to permit of the sliding of the gag-block from beneath the pivoted member to allow said member to swing upon its pivotal mounting.

12. In a metal-shearing machine, a bridgejaw, another jaw cooperating therewith, one of the members of the bridge-j aw having side plates pivotally mounted to a stationary portion of the jaw, a gag-block slidable on the stationary portion of the jaw and adapted to be entered between the side plates and sup port the member in its operative position.

- 13. In a metal-shearing machine, a bridgejaw, another jaw cooperating therewith, one of the members of the bridge-j aw having side plates pivotally mounted upon the stationary portion of the said jaw, a gag-block slidable on said stationary portion and fitting between the side plates of the said member and consti- ITO tuting a support therefor when in its operative position, pins on the gag-block slidable in slots of the side plates to cause the movable member to swing when the gag-block is withdrawn from beneath said movable member.

14. In a metal-shearing machine, a bridgejaw, another jaw cooperating therewith, one member of the bridge-jaw being pivotally mounted by having side plates pivotally connected to a stationaryportion of thej aw, a gagblock slidable on said stationary portion and fitting between the side plates with a shouldered seat to receive a correspondingly-shaped part of the movable member when in its closed position, and pins on the gag-block riding in angular slots of the side plates, whereby the gag-block on being withdrawn from the movable member first slides independently without moving the movable member until the seat thereof is free of engagement with the movable member and then causes the movable member to swing upon its pivotal connection by the pins riding in the inclined portions of the angular slots.

15. In a metal-shearing machine, a bridgejaw, another aw cooperating therewith, one of the members of the bridge jaw being movably mounted by having side plates pivotally connected to a stationary portion of the jaw, a gag-block slidable on the said sta tionary portion and fitting beneath the movable member, pins on the gag-block slidable in slots of the side plates, means for sliding the gag-block from beneath the movable member causing the pins to swing the movable member on its pivotal connections, and means for locking the gag-block in its closed position.

16. In a metal-shearing machine, a bridgej aw, another jaw cooperating therewith, one

of the members of the bridge-j aw being movably mounted by having side plates pivotally connected to a stationary portion of the jaw, a gag-block slidable on said stationary portion and fitting beneath the movable member, pins on the gag-block sliding in slots of the side plates to cause the movable member to swing on its pivotal connections when the gag-block is withdrawn therefrom, a' lever pivoted on the gag-block for sliding the same, and a block carried by the lever and adapted to be inserted in a recess in the stationary portion of the jaw when the gag-block is in its closed position to prevent movement of said gagblock.

17. In a metal-shearing machine, a bridgejaw, another jaw cooperating therewith, one of the members of the bridge-j aw being movably mounted by having side plates pivot ally connected to a stationary portion of the jaw, a gag-block slidable on said stationary portion and fitting beneath the movable member, pins on the gag-block slidable in angular slots of the side plates whereby the movable member is swung upon its pivotal connections when the gag-block is removed therefrom, a lever pivoted to the gag-block, and a camblock pivoted thereto and adapted to be inserted in a cam-socket in the stationary portion of the jaw when the gag-block is in its closed position to prevent movement thereof.

18. In a metal-shearing machine, a bridgejaw, another jaw cooperating therewith, one member of the bridge-jaw being movably mounted by having side plates pivotally and slidingly mounted on a stationary portion of thej aw, a gag-block slidable on said stationary portion andfitting beneath the movable member, pins on the gag-block slidable in slots of the side plates, whereby the movable member will slide and swing by the sliding'of the gag-block, and means for sliding the gagblock.

19. In a metal-shearing machine, a bridgejaw, another jaw cooperating therewith, one member of the bridge-j aw being movably mounted by having side plates pivotally and slidably connected to a stationary portion of the jaw by means of bosses on said stationary portion having flattened portions, disks having longitudinal slots mounted on the bosses so as to freely slide thereon without turning, said disks bein mounted in the side plates so that said side plates may turn thereon, a gagblock slidable on said stationary portion of the jaw and fitting beneath the movable member, pins on the gag-block slidable in slots of the side plates whereby the movable member will be caused to slide and swing by the sliding operation of the gag-block, and means for sliding the gag-block.

20. In a metal-shearing machine, a bridgejaw, another jaw cooperating therewith, one member of the bridge-j aw being movably mounted by having side plates pivotally and slidably connected to a stationary portion of the jaw by means of flattened bosses on said stationary portion, disks having longitudinal slots fitting on the bosses and capable of sliding thereon without turning, said disks being connected to the side plates in such a manner as to permit of the side plates turning thereon, a gag-block slidable on said stationary portion of the jaw and having a shouldered seat to fit a corresponding portion of the movable member, pins carried by the gagblock and slidable in angular slots of the side plates whereby the movable member is caused to slide and swing by means of the sliding of the gag-block, a yoked lever pivoted to the gag-block, and a wedge-block pivoted thereto and adapted to be inserted in a cam-socket in the stationary portion of the jaw.

21. In a metal-shearing machine, a bridgejaw having slotted members, die-plates secured in the slots of said members, another jaw cooperating therewith,a casing carried thereby, a shearing-tool slidable in the casing and adapted to be forced between the dieplates of the bridge-j aw members, a gagblock located in the path of the shearing-tool and adapted to form an abutment therefor, a lever pivoted to the gag-block by which said gag-block may be withdrawn from the path of the shearingtool, another lever pivoted to the casing and having a sliding connection with the shearing-tool and with the said lever whereby the shearing-tool may be raised by swinging said lever, one of the members of the bridge-jaw being movably mounted by having side plates pivotally and slidably connected to a stationary portion of said jaw, a gag-block slidable on said stationary portion and fitting beneath the movable member, pins on the gag-block slidable in slots of the side plates, and means for sliding the gagblock to cause the pins to swing and slide the movable member toward and away from the stationary member of the bridge-jaw to per mit of passing a flanged beam laterally between the members of the bridge-jaw, and clamping it there, said shearing-tool in its raised position permitting the flanged end of the rail to pass between it and the bridgeaw.

22. In a metal-shearing machine, a bridgejaw having slotted members, and another jaw having a single shearing-tool to cooperate with the slotted members of the bridgej aw, one of the members of the bridge-jaw being mounted to be movable toward or away from the other member thereof, so that a flanged rail may have its Web held between them during the cutting of the flange thereof.

23. A means for cutting beams and the like comprising a reciprocating longitudinal knife having rectilinear motions, and a jaw provided with a slot with Which the knife cooperates and being divided by an opening at an angle to the slot, the members of the aw produced by the division thereof by the opening having approximately the same angle as the parts of the beam so that all such parts of the beam may in turn be presented to the action of the knife to receive successive cuts therefrom during the repeated rectilinear motions thereof for severing the beam.

24. A means for cutting beams and the like comprising a reciprocating longitudinal knife having rectilinear motions, and a bridge-j aw provided with a slot with which the knife cooperates, one of the members of the bridge-j aw being movable with relation to the other member thereof so that the beam may be held therebetween and adapted to have all of its parts in turn presented to the action of the knife to receive successive cuts therefrom during the rectilinear motions thereof for severing the beam.

In testimony whereof I a'ffiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HAMILTON P. RICHARDSON.

Witnesses:

R. S. C. CALDWELL, ANNA F. SCHMIDTBAUER. 

